


Bruce's Mixtape

by widowshulk



Series: Age of Ultron Countdown [12]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 17:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4069255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/widowshulk/pseuds/widowshulk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce and Natasha are driving out to Clint's farm to have some time away together and Bruce made a mixtape for the occassion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bruce's Mixtape

**Author's Note:**

> As part of a countdown leading up to Age of Ultron, I wrote 18 short fics, from prompts, over 18 days.
> 
> Day Twelve. Based on the prompt "Wake me up + Things you said while we were driving"

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Natasha teased him.

“You don’t think I’ve had enough adventures already?” Bruce asked.

“It’s just for a few days. What could possibly happen?”

“Do you really need to ask that?”

Natasha sighed and turned the engine on. They had a six hour drive ahead of them, and she was really hoping they wouldn’t be having this conversation the whole way to Clint’s farm. 

“You need time away from the city. Time to yourself. I’m inviting myself along to protect you.”

“Is that the only reason you’re coming?” he asked.

“What do you think?” She smiled.

Bruce adjusted his chair and laid back, exhausted after a Code Green this morning.

“Wake me up if you want me to take over driving,” Bruce offered, already knowing that she wouldn’t let him.

“I’ve got it, thanks. You should sleep.”

\--

The car stopping nudged Bruce awake. Had it really been six hours already? It felt like half that. As his eyes adjusted, he realised they’d stopped at a gas station.

“Nature calls. Want to get me a coffee while I use the bathroom?” Natasha asked, realising that he was awake.

“Sure. Want anything else?” Bruce scrambled to get out of the car, desperate to stretch out his limbs.

“No, thanks,” she replied, stifling a yawn.

A few minutes later and they met back at the car. Bruce armed with a giant cup of coffee, a few energy bars, and candy.

“Hungry, doc?” Natasha asked, getting back into the car.

“They’re for you. To keep you going.”

“Well, aren’t you sweet?”

She ate a couple of the energy bars and a candy bar before touching the coffee.

“I didn’t realise how hungry I was,” she said, reaching for the coffee. “This is good. Just how I like it.”

“I know,” Bruce replied, his eyes fixed on her.

She smiled before she took another couple of sips.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much,” she replied, putting the coffee in the cup holder.

“There’s a cushion in the back if you’re too uncomfortable sleeping,” she offered, starting the engine.

“I’m not so tired any more. What’s the time anyway?”

“10, just a couple hours more.”

“That’s not so bad.”

Bruce went through his bag trying to find a CD he’d made for the occasion, but had forgotten earlier thanks to being so tired. 

“Yes!” he exclaimed pulling the case out of his bag and sliding into the stereo.

“You made a mixtape? Are we 12, in the eighties?”

Hoobastank’s ‘The Reason’ started to play and her face changed; from teasing to sincerity. They’d dubbed this their song after it was playing on their first sort-of date and they’d danced to it.

“I still can’t believe Steve and Maria sent us out on that so-called undercover mission,” Natasha said, a smile on her face.

“You need to be a married couple for the night,” Bruce said, mimicking Steve’s voice.

“The owner of the bar is very dangerous,” Natasha mimicked Maria. “It did work, though,” Natasha said, back to herself.

“What did?” Bruce asked.

“It made you fall in love with me,” Natasha teased.

Hozier’s ‘Take Me to Church’ came on next and they both smiled, remembering the night they’d spent together making a seven course meal, just for the fun of it. Also, because they couldn’t sleep.

“For the record,” Bruce said. “That’s not when I fell in love with you.”

“Really? Care to elaborate?”

“A few months before that, you’d just come back from a hostage situation. Syria, I think, but of course you couldn’t tell me, so I’m just guessing. You were so upset by what you’d seen and the pain that people were in. That side of you, the empathy of it all, that’s when I knew.”

“You knew for months and didn’t say anything?” Natasha slapped him lightly on the arm.

“Look at you, you’re an incredible woman. You’re brilliant. You could have anyone you wanted. I’m damaged and older and I don’t have much-”

“You think I care about what you have? You don’t think I’m damaged?” Natasha asked quietly.

“I didn’t think, not in a million years. And…” Bruce trailed off.

“And what?”

“I was scared.”

“Of me?”

‘Animal I Have Become’ by Three Days Grace came on the stereo. Fitting timing, thought Bruce.

“Of him. Of what would happen to you if we ever… I don’t trust him around you. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

Natasha reached over and took Bruce’s hand in her own. She raised it to her lips and kissed it.

“I can look after myself, you know,” she said, lowering his hand onto his lap.

“I know. I’m better about it now. You’re training him and he seems to like you.”

“So you trust me?”

“With my life.”


End file.
